Head and Neck Cancer: How Speech and Language Therapy can help

Our team of Speech and Language Therapists, specialising in head and neck cancer, provide assessment, therapy, advice and support for adults with communication and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) arising as a consequence of the cancer and/or its treatment.  We provide this service to both inpatients and outpatients across Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Bassetlaw Hospital.

The speech and language therapy team can be involved with head and neck cancer patients from the point of diagnosis, throughout their acute cancer treatment, and for several years following completion of treatment.

We also provide support for patients who experience late onset difficulties as a result of their treatment for cancer (these difficulties may occur years after successful head and neck cancer treatment).

Our Head and Neck Cancer Team

We work closely as part of the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (DBTH) Head and Neck cancer team which includes:

  • Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeons
  • Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
  • Clinical Oncology Consultants
  • Clinical Nurse Specialists
  • Dietitians

We are also part of the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Regional Head and Neck Cancer Team, based across five different sites: Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheffield, Chesterfield and Doncaster https://canceralliancesyb.co.uk/publications/head-neck-cancer-portal

Sheffield is our regional cancer treatment hub where the majority of head and neck cancer surgery and oncology treatment takes place.

For surgery: Royal Hallamshire Hospital https://www.sth.nhs.uk/services/a-z-of-services?id=227&page=71

For radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy: Weston Park Hospital https://www.westonparkcancercentre.nhs.uk/ https://www.westonparkcancercentre.nhs.uk/your-treatment-and-care.htmlandchemotherapy

Our referral process

Outpatient referrals:

The majority of our referrals are taken directly from the Head and Neck Cancer Multidisciplinary Team meeting which is held on a weekly basis.

We also receive referrals directly from any member of the Head and Neck cancer team and GPs.

Dysphagia referral must be agreed by a Doctor.

For general enquiries you can speak to one of our Head and Neck Team therapists: Kerry Turner, Amanda Wallace, Natalie O’Hagan, Jessie Howard or Charlotte Watson by contacting 01302 644218.  If you are unable to speak on the telephone you can text us on: 07912493429.

Head and Neck Cancer Treatment: What we do:

  • Oncology treatment (radiotherapy and chemotherapy)

If you are undergoing radiotherapy treatment (+/-) chemotherapy, you will be contacted by one of our Head and Neck Specialist Speech and Language Therapists when your referral has been received.

We provide information and advice regarding the radiotherapy treatment process and possible side effects and provide head and neck range of movement exercises.

You can find a copy of these exercises here: https://canceralliancesyb.co.uk/application/files/1915/9231/0123/Head_and_neck_ROM_exercises_April_2020.pdf

These links will support you with any range of movement exercises that you may be advised to do by your Speech and Language Therapist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzVsiQzRkF4&feature=youtu.be

https://www.christie.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/living-with-and-beyond-cancer/rehabilitation-services-for-patients/speech-and-language-therapy/speech-and-language-therapy-exercise-videos

During and following your treatment we will support you in your recovery and with the rehabilitation of any swallowing, voice and communication problems as a result of the treatment.

Surgery

If you are undergoing surgery for oral/maxillofacial/laryngeal cancer, this could include tongue, mandible (lower jaw), maxilla (upper jaw), parotid (salivary) gland, gum, cheek, floor of mouth (under your tongue), nasopharynx (upper part of throat behind your nose), oropharynx (back of throat behind your mouth), larynx (voice box), you may be seen by one of our regional team Speech and Language Therapists whilst you are an inpatient at The Royal Hallamshire Hospital.  Once you have been discharged, one of our head and neck specialist will contact you.

Laryngectomy

We work closely with our Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Head and Neck Cancer with patients who have had their voice box removed due to their cancer. This is known as a total laryngectomy. Our role in working with laryngectomy patients includes:

  • Alongside the CNS, we teach laryngectomy patients how to care for their airway and neck stoma.
  • We offer support and advice regarding communication, which can include the use of electrolarynx devices.
  • Many laryngectomy patients communicate with a voice prosthesis, we teach patients how to talk with this voice prosthesis, and how to undertake cleaning and maintenance of this voice device.

For more information, advice and support you may find these links and websites useful:

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatments-and-drugs/laryngectomy

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/living-with-a-laryngectomy-stoma

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/after-a-laryngectomy

https://www.laryngectomy.org.uk/

https://www.laryngectomy.org.uk/files/1915/3625/2401/NALC_Handbook.pdf

Other useful websites:

https://canceralliancesyb.co.uk/publications/head-neck-cancer-portal

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/head-and-neck-cancer#1_what_are_head_and_neck_cancers

https://www.sth.nhs.uk/cancer/radiotherapy

https://www.sth.nhs.uk/our-hospitals/charles-clifford-dental-hospital

https://healthandcarevideos.uk/cancer?videoId=3111

https://healthandcarevideos.uk/cancer?videoId=3113

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